Autotilting venetian blind



Sept. 12, 1950 M. KESNER 2,521,980

AUTOTILTING VENETIAN BLIND Filed March 25, 1946 FIG 1 3 INVENTOR MICH L.KESNER BY Fly;

ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 12, 1950 UNITED STATES 2,521,980 I AUTOTILTINGVENETIANBLIND Michael L. Kesner, Chicago, Ill.

Application'March 25, 1946, Seriai-No. 656,968

' s oiaims. (01.1 6 -170) ,..[his.. invention relates. to. improvementsin Venetian blinds, and particularly to improvements in .the louvretilting means for spring-' .operated blinds having a spring actuatedroller for raising theblinds and lateral guide and re- .taining.members. along which the blind elements travel in their raising andlowering movement.

The mainobjects of thisinvention are to proyide an improved means .forautomatically adjusting the angular settingof the louvers of .aVenetianblind when the blind. is moved up or down; to, provide such ameans that is actuated by the elements which raise and lower the blind;to provide such a means that will cause full automatic adjustment of thelouvre tilt with a minimum up or down movement of the blind; to provideaVenetian blind in which the angular tilt of thelouvres is determined bythe position to which'the blind is raised or lowered; to provide such'adevice wherein thetilt of the louvres is locked by the setting of theblind in any up or down position; and to-provide a Venetian blind havingautomatically tilting louvres that are operated positively throughoutthe entire extent of up and down adjustment of the blind.

An'illustrative embodiment of this invention is shown in theaccompanying drawings in which:

Figure '1 is a detailed view in elevation, showing the-improved Venetianblind.

*Figs.f2,"3 and '4 are views, taken on line 2-2 of f Fig. 1, showing thelouvre tilting mechanism and the medial and extreme positions of louvretilt.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 55 of Fig. 1 showing in dottedoutline a tilted position of the blind louvres.

Fig. 6 is a view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 1, to show the blindsupporting bracket which is opposite the louvre tilting mechanism.

Fig. '7 is a sectional View taken on line 11 of Fig. 1, to show thelateral louvre guide arrangement, and

s Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 1, to show theblind position locking arrangement.

As shown in the drawings, the improved Venetian 'blind comprises anoperating roller I, of comparatively heavy construction, and having aninternal operating spring, shown only in Fig. 5, arranged in the usualmanner for spring actuated curtain rollers and capable of readilylifting the entire blind; a louvre-type blind suspended from the roller!'by means of straps or tapes 2 which are secured to and wound aroundthe roller l; lateralguide means 3 for the blind elements or louvres;control or governing means roller supporting means which include anautotilt mechanism, to be hereinafter described, 'for operating thelouvres of the blind.

As'shown in Fig. 1, one end of the roller I is supported by a bracketmembers, mounted on a suitable frame 5 by means of a bolt or screw Ii,and having an aperture 1 arranged to receive the end of the rollerspring tensioning shaft 8 in non-rotative relation. The bracket 4 isalso provided with a doubly-curved, open-ended'slot 39. located in itsforward edge and adapted to receive the pivot Hi of the respective endof the uppermost louvre or tilting bar ll of the blind. As shown thelouvre, or pivot lodging end 9.! of the slot Q .is located below and apredetermined distance'forward of the aperture I, this distance being.substantially one-half the diameter of the roller I, so that theblind-lifting tapes 2 will hang directly downward from the rollersurface. See Fig. 5.

"The opposite ends of the roller l and the tilt bar II are supported, inthe same relationship as the first describedends, by a bracket I2embodying the auto-tilt mechanism of the blind and secured to the frame5 by means of a screw or bolt 13.

In the form shown, the blind suspended from the roller 1 comprises aplurality of horizontal slat-like louvre elements I l disposed, intheusual manner, between guide belts IE or ladder tapes which aresecured, at their upper ends, to the tilt-bar i I. These guide beltsextend downwardly from eachside of the tilt-bar and are provided withvertically spaced transverse louvre-supporting cross tapes it whichextend between the forward and rear belts l5 and support the louvreelements I l in predetermined vertically spaced relationship. The lowerends of the belts [5 are secured to a blind operating and control barll, which is the bottom or lowest element of the blind and governs theadjustment of the blind against the action of the spring-roller l. Theends of the louvre elements I4 are mitered, as at 9.8 in Fig. 7, to fitinto a V-shaped channel extending along the vertical inner face of thelateral guide members 3. These guide members 3 are securedto the frame 5by any suitable means and preferably are padded as at l9; and theV-shaped channels are lined with a suitable relatively softnoiseabsorbing material so as to minimize any noise from'rattling andshifting of the louvre elemerits.

'The'straps or tapes 2, by which the blind is suspended, raised andlowered, are preferably formed of strips of flexible metal and havetheir upper ends secured to the roller I. These straps then extenddownwardly through suitable slots formed in each louvre, as shown inFig. 5, to the control bar I! where their lower ends are se-- cured.

The roller l is normally spring-tensioned, when the blind is extended,to turn in one direction and thus wind the lifting tapes 2 around theroller body and lift the control bar H, which, in its upward movement,picks up the louvre elements l4, one by one, in the usual manner ofVenetian blinds. Such upward movement, however, is regulated by thecontrol bar I! which is provided with a spring actuated friction member28, at each end, shaped to engage tightly in the V- shaped groove of therespective lateral guide member 3.

As shown, each of the friction members 20 is mounted on the outer end ofa respective control rod 2| which extends into the body of the controlbar I! to a point near the center of the control bar where it terminatesin a knob or handle 22 projecting, at right angles to the rod 2 I,through a suitable opening and cover plate 23. Suitable springs, notshown, are arranged to normally urge the control rods 2| outwardly fromthe ends of the control bar I! and force the friction members 20 intotight engagement with the respective guide members 3 to hold the controlbar in any desired position against the raising action of the springroller I. Thus to release the control bar and raise or lower the blind,it is necessary to pinch or pull together the two knobs or handles 22and release the engaging pressure on the friction member 20. The springroller I will lift the control bar, when it is released, and raise theentire blind as far as desired and any position of the blind can be hadby releasing the knobs 22 at the desired place. When lowering the blind,the control bar I! is first released and the blind is extended bypulling the control bar downward against the tension of the roller 1.

As shown, the auto-tilt mechanism for the louvers of the improvedVenetian blind is combined with the roller-supporting bracket l2 and, inthe form shown, comprises a stub-shaft or extension 24, for the rollershaft 25, which is suitably journaled in a bearing portion of thedownwardly projecting leg of an inverted angle bracket 26 welded orotherwise secured to the upper part of the bracket [2; a crank wheel ordisc 2'! secured on the end of the stub-shaft 2d; a connecting arm orlink 28; and a pivoted tilt-bar carrier 29.

The stub-shaft 24 is provided with an enlarged head or collar 30,recessed to receive the end of the roller shaft 25, and is provided witha set screw 3i by means of which the extension is locked or secured ontothe shaft 25. The said recess and the end of the shaft 25 may be alsosquare or otherwise shaped to key the two members together to assurethat the roller shaft and the stub-shaft extension will always turntogether. As shown, the downwardly projecting leg of the bracket 26 isspaced from. the bracket l2 and, within the said space, the crank wheel21 is fastened onto the end of the stub-shaft 24 to turn therewith. Theconnecting rod or link 28 is eccentrically connected to the crank wheel21 by a pivot 32, as shown in Figs. 2 to 4 inclusively, and extendsdownwardly to a pivot connection 33 eccentrically positioned at theinner side of the tilt-bar carrier '29. The carrier 29 is pivotallymounted on the bracket l2 by any suitable means, such as a. bolt 34, andis spaced from the bracket '4 l2 by a collar 35, so that the pivotconnections 32 and 33 of the link 28 will be substantially allned.

Thus as the roller I, roller shaft 25, stub-shaft 24 and crank wheel 21turn, upon operation of the roller I, an oscillating movement isimparted to the tilt-bar carrier 29, .the roller shaft 25 being arrangedto turn with the roller in the usual and well-known manner.

As shown, the tilt-bar carrier 29 is a substantially U-shaped member,one leg having a slot to receive and secure the respective end of thetiltbar I I and the other leg being pivotally mounted in the bracket l2.As will be apparent, the pivot connection 34 is located on the centerline of the tilt-bar ll so that oscillation of the carrier 29 will beabout the tilt-bar center line.

The medial and extreme positions of the tiltbar and its carrier, duringrotation of the crank wheel 21, are illustrated in Figs. 2, 3 and 4. InFig. 2 the crank wheel 2'! is in a midposition with the link pivot 32 inhorizontal alinement' with the roller shaft center line, half-waybetween the upper and lower extremes. The dotted outline of the link 28indicates the link position upon 180 of rotation from the position shownin solid outline. In either of these positions of the link 28, thetilt-bar l l is horizontally fiat or level and the louvres i i suspendedon the guide belts 15 will be in a like position which is the positionof maximum opening of the blind.

In Fig. 3 the crank Wheel 21 is shown after of upward rotation from theposition of Fig. 2. This is the position of maximum upward movement ofthe linked side of the carrier 29 and the tilt-bar H is tilted about itscenter line or axis so that its inside edge is tipped downward to themaximum extent.

In Fig. 4 the crank wheel 21 is shown after being turned 90 downwardlyfrom the position of Fig. 2, or from the position of Fig. 3. In thisposition the link 28 has shifted the carrier 29 to its maximum ofdownward movement and the tiltbar H is tilted so that its inside edge istipped upwardly to the maximum extent.

ince the guide belts i5, hanging from either edge of the tilt-bar H andcarrying the louvres It on the supporting straps or tapes l6, move upand down with the respective edges of the tilt-bar, the louvres it willassume the same tilting positions as the tilt-bar H (see Fig. 5). Thus,as with the usual arrangement and spacing of Venetian blind louvres,either maximum tilting of the tilt-bar will result in the louvres beingturned to overlapping relation and the closing of the blind. Also anyintermediate setting of the louvres may be had by simply controlling theextent of rotation or turning of the crank wheel 21 between the medialand extreme positions.

It will now be apparent from the foregoing description and theaccompanying drawings that the blind may be lifted or lowered andstopped at either the extreme upward or downward posie tion, or at anyintermediate position, by squeez ing or pinching the handles 22,shifting the control bar I! to the desired position, and then releasingthe handles 22 which causes the springmovement to the tilt-bar carrier29 through the connecting arm 28.

Thus, since any tilting or oscillating movement of the carrier 29 willautomatically turn the tiltbar II and the louvres M, which are operablyconnected thereto, each revolution of the roller I will cause all of thelouvres to turn through a complete cycle of oscillation, or of openingand v closing, and such oscillation will continue as long as the rollerturns.

It is, therefore, a simple matter to raise or lower the blind to thedesired level and then tilt the louvres in the desired direction and tothe extent wanted, by merely adjusting the controlbar a small distanceup or down until the desired tilt is accomplished.

Although but one specific embodiment of this invention is herein shownand described, it will be understood that details of the constructionshown may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit ofthis invention as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A louvred blind comprising a roller extending parallel with the blindacross the top of the same, means to turn said roller, a shaft extendingfrom one end of said roller and adapted to turn therewith, a cranksecured to said shaft, 2. pivoted tilt-bar, ladder tapes attached tosaid tilt-bar and adapted to support the louvres of said blind in spacedparallel relation with each other, a rigid connecting arm having one endmounted on said crank, and means pivotally connecting the other end ofsaid arm and said tiltbar eccentrically relative to the tilt-bar axis.

2. A louvred blind comprising a spring roller extending parallel withthe blind and across the upper end of the same, a shaft-extending fromone end of said roller and adapted to turn therewith, a crank on saidshaft, a pivoted tilt-bar disposed parallel with and below. said roller,a rigid connecting link having one end mounted on said crank, meansconnecting the other end of said link and said tilt-bar eccentricallyrelative to the tilt-bar axis, and a control member on said blindconnected by flexible tapes with said spring roller and adapted togovern the turning action thereof.

3. A Venetian blind comprising a spring roller, a shaft extending fromone end of said roller and arranged to turn therewith, a crank on saidshaft, a tilt-bar pivoted at its ends and disposed in parallel relationto said roller, a link bar hav ing one end connected to saidcrank andthe other end connected to said tilt-bar eccentrically of the pivot axisthereof, a control member, suspension tapes secured between said rollerand control member and arranged to be wound on said roller, said rollerbeing normally tensioned to wind said tapes and lift said controlmember, a plurality of spaced parallel louvres suspended from saidtilt-bar and arranged to tilt therewith, and means to hold said controlmember in any desired position against the winding action of saidroller.

4. A louvred blind comprising a roller lying in the same plane asand'adapted to suspend said blind, means to turn said roller, a louvretilting member pivoted at its ends in parallel relation with said rollerand having operating connection with the louvres of said blind, a shaftfixed to and extending from one end of said roller, and a crank on saidshaft having a rigid link arm connected eccentrically to said tiltingmember to turn the same, said crank and link arm being actuated byturning said roller.

5. A louvred blind comprising a roller lying in the same plane as andadapted to suspend said blind, bearing means adapted to support saidroller, means to turn said roller, a louvre tilting member pivotallysupported at its ends in parallel relation with said roller and havingoperating connection with the louvres of said blind, a crank mounted atone end of said roller and connected for rotation therewith, and a rigidlink arm on the crank eccentrically connected to said tilting member andadapted to oscillate the same upon rotation of said crank.

MICHAEL L. KESNER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,661,709 Tate Mar. 6, 19282,164,556 Udstad July 4, 1939 2,231,778 Swanson Feb. 11, 1941 2,264,609Ban n. Dec. 2, 1941 2,276,716 Cardona Mar. 17, 1942 2,428,197 Bertz eta1. Sept. 30, 1947 2,415,222 Spencer Feb. 4, 1947

